California Governor Gavin Newsom recently asserted that Texas and Florida are the 'real high-tax states,' claiming that California's tax system is more progressive and less burdensome for the middle class compared to those states. Newsom made these remarks both on social media and during an appearance at SXSW in Austin, Texas, stating, 'Your middle class pays more taxes in Texas than our middle class in California,' and criticizing the perception that wealthy individuals relocate to Texas and Florida to avoid taxes [1].
Newsom's statements were met with skepticism from conservatives, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and were scrutinized by James Agresti, President of Just Facts. Agresti conducted a detailed analysis, examining average tax collections per citizen and tax burdens as a percentage of state economies. According to Agresti, California collects about $10,000 per person annually in taxes, while Texas and Florida collect approximately $5,000 per person—about half as much. When measured as a percentage of state economies, California taxes about 14%, compared to 9% for both Texas and Florida [1].
The Just Facts study further revealed that California imposes some of the highest taxes in the nation, including a top personal income tax rate of 13.3%, while Texas and Florida have no state income tax. Property taxes in California account for 2.8% of personal income, slightly lower than Texas (3.6%) and close to Florida (2.6%). However, California's property tax rates are generally lower when measured as a share of home values. Other taxes, such as unemployment insurance (6.2% in California and Texas, 5.4% in Florida), statewide sales tax (7.2% in California, 6.2% in Texas, 6.0% in Florida), and gas taxes (70.9 cents per gallon in California, 20 cents in Texas, 40.3 cents in Florida), show California as more burdensome in most categories [1].
A Wallethub 2025 analysis ranked California 4th overall in tax burden among U.S. states, behind Vermont, New York, and Hawaii. Data from the Tax Foundation also indicates that California collects significantly more in state and local taxes per capita than Texas or Florida [1]. Agresti suggests Newsom may be referencing data from the Institute On Taxation & Economic Policy (ITEP), which is commonly cited by mainstream news outlets, but argues that the broader data contradicts Newsom's claims [1].
CONCLUSION
Expert analysis and multiple data sources indicate that California has a higher overall tax burden than Texas and Florida, contradicting Governor Newsom's recent claims. The findings suggest that California's tax policies are more burdensome for residents, especially when compared to the tax structures in Texas and Florida. This debate may influence perceptions of state competitiveness and migration trends, but the data points to California as the higher-tax state.